Bangladesh players' participation in PSL 2026 depends on government clearance: ‘Have to check whether it’s safe or not'

Bangladesh players' participation in PSL 2026 would depend on government clearance.

Updated on: Mar 20, 2026, 08:00:30 IST

Written by Vishesh Roy

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The participation of Bangladesh players in the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 is in doubt, as it is subject to government clearance. The ongoing regional tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have led the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to adopt a cautious approach. Hence, the final call will be taken by the Bangladesh government. Earlier, the BCB had issued No-Objection Certificates (NOC) to six players - Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossain Emon (Lahore Qalandars), Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana, Tanzid Hasan Tamim (Peshawar Zalmi), and Rishad Hossain (Peshawar Zalmi), and they were all set to feature in the competition, set to begin on March 26.

However, the board has now decided to seek advice from the government before they allow the players to travel to Pakistan.

"Of course, we will seek permission from the government before sending our cricketers for the PSL. Under normal circumstances, these things are not required. We provide clearance, they go, play, and return. But since the situation is not normal and there is a risk element concerning the players, obviously, we will discuss it with the government," BCB cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin told Cricbuzz.

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“We will seek to know from the government whether it will be safe to travel or not, and based on that government decision, we will have to take the ultimate call on whether the players will go or not. Because it is not actually possible for us to understand the situation there,” he added.

Abedin also added that the BCB cannot determine the threat level, as these details will be provided by the government. He also said that the NOCs will be given to the players, but their participation in the tournament depends on the situation.

"It is possible for the government to know. The government will know, and if the government tells us that it is safe to go and the players can travel, then the players will go. But, in principle, we have decided that we will give the NOC and they will go to play. But it depends on the situation at that time," Nazmul added.

PSL 2026

If the government clearance comes through, then the PSL-bound Bangladesh players will miss the preparatory camp for the upcoming white-ball series against New Zealand. New Zealand are set to arrive in Dhaka on April 13 for three ODIs and as many T20Is.

The BCB has issued partial NOCs to its players, ensuring that they remain available for the ODIs against New Zealand, as Bangladesh are still in contention for qualification for next year's ODI World Cup.

According to Cricbuzz, Mustafizur has been granted an NOC from March 26 to April 12, and again from April 24 to May 3. Earlier, he was scheduled to play for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL 2026 season, but he was released by the franchise owing to the strained relations between India and Bangladesh due to the killings of multiple Hindus in Bangladesh. The BCCI asked the KKR to do so, and the franchise obliged.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishesh Roy
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More

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